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Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Springtime and painting flowers!

I love springtime! Especially the flowers, fresh air, warmer temperatures and the expectation of renewal. I think one of my favorite things to paint is floral still-lifes. I love experimenting with color and the light and shadows. Here's a quick look at how I go about a painting (most of the time).

Most always my paintings are inspired from something I've seen with an eye catching color combo or nice composition, or something I've read that spurs a visual image. Sometimes the two just come together. I ran across a photo in a home magazine with some flowers on a table, and loved the arrangement so I sketched it out in my art journal. As you can see, I sketched the verses I was focusing on the next few days in the margins, and Isaish 35:2, which refers to the Lord's splendor makes me visualize beautiful flowers.

I always prepare my canvas first-usually some light modeling paste for texture and then paint with an acrylic wash. Lately I've loved having an orange background to work from.

Then using gel medium, I glue on scraps of paper. Sometimes they are completely covered and you never know they are there, but sometimes they peek through.

Then I paint, and distress, and paint again....until I feel like it's finished. Usually I live with it a week or so to make sure I don't want to make any changes or add something.

I think I will be donating this piece to the Arkansas Arts Center Tabriz annual fundraiser in May. I may end up painting another piece by then that I like better. This is a 16 x 20 mixed media.

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Get inspired to create!

Welcome to my studio! Like Henri Matisse once said, "Creativity takes courage," so I hope you will find some things here that will inspire you to start a project and discover your inner artist. Put on your paint apron and stay awhile! If you try my ideas, or lessons I post from other sites, please be nice and include a link back to here.

Exploring Mediums

Stamping

Mixed Media

Collage

Oil Pastels

Watercolor

Clay Creations

Chalk Pastels

Acrylic Painting

Picasso

Classes

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